Motor.



. PATBNTED JUNE 2', 1903. c. T. OSBORNE.

MOTOR. APPLIUATION nun SEPT. 27.1001.

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I E'atented June 2, 1903.

PAT NT @FFICE.

CHARLES rosBoRivn, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,652, dated June 2, 1903. Application filed September 27, 1901. Serial No. 76.749. (No model.)

0 all, wit/0171, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T; OSBORNE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have in vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Motors, of which the following is a specification. u y

The invention relates to motors ot' the plosive-engine type.

The objects sought to be attained by my improvement are economy of power, economy and convenience inabsorbing heat from the explosive-engine, ease of starting the motor, means for conserving surplus energy developed by the explosions, and means for apply ing the energy thus conserved in temporarily supplying an increase of power. To attain these objects I employ an explosive-engine, preferably using gas or gasolene vapor with air, as the explosive mixture, and provide an air-compressor operated by the engine and areservoirfor the air thus compressed. An air-engine working on the same engine-shaft is driven by the compressed air from the reservoir and is used in starting the motor and while running delivers its exhaust-air at low temperature to a suitable jacket or chamber surrounding the cylinder of the explosiveengine and absorbs heat from the latter. The compressor is also equipped with suitable valves and passages by means of which its function as a compressor may betemporarily suspended and this portion of the mechanism conditioned to act as an auxiliary air-engine driven by the compressed air stored in the reservoir and servingto aid in starting the motor or in overcoming any temporary in= crease of load or other work to be performed. The products of combustion or exhaust from the explosiveengine are discharged upon or in the immediate vicinity of the valve-cham-.

ber of the air-engine or other portion liable to become too cold. The compressor and airengineare preferably arranged in close proximity to each other or joined in the same casting, so that the high temperature of one may neutralize the low temperature of the other.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanyingdrawings form a part of this specification and show the manner in which the invention is to be carried out.

Figure 1 is a general plan view, and Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, partly in elevation, show ing the arrangement of the several cylinders and their immediate connections on a larger scale. larger scale, showing a portion in detail. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the automatic diaphragm-valve.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the cylinder of an explosive-engine shown as a gasolene-engine of the four-cycle type and may be of any ordinaryor approved construction, equipped with inlet and exhaust valves (not shown) operated by the usual mechanism. A trunk piston (not shown) inclosed in the cylinder A is driven by the explosion of a suitable mixture of gasolene-vapor and air received from a carbureter B through a pipe B, controlled by an automatic diaphragm-valve B as will presently appear. Gasolene from a tank I) is supplied through a pipe B controlled by a valve to the carbureter, as usual.

The reciprocations of the trunkpiston are converted into rotary motion of the engineshaft A through a pitman A and crank A*,

as usual.

A is a fly-wheel performing its usual functions, and A is a sprocket-wheel from which power may be taken to drive the desired mechanism.

O is the cylinder of adouble-acting air-compressor, having a piston (not shown) and inlet-valves C C and delivering through checkvalves C O in a pipe C leading the. compressed air to the upper portion of a suitable reservoir C located at any convenient point, preferably in an exposed position, subject to the cooling action of the air. The air-compressor isdriven by a crank O on the engine- Fig. el is a horizontal section, 011 a still shaft A set at a right angle to the crank A i i F is an air-pump, shown as an ordinary hand-pump, but which will be understood to be any means of compressing air in the reservoir C independently of the aircompressor O.

Alongside the comp ressor-oylinder and parallel therewith and with the cylinder A is an air-engine, comprising the cylinder D, containing a piston (not shown) and having a valve-chamber D inclosing a reciprocating valve (not shown, but preferably of the double piston type) controlled and operated through a link-motion D of the usual form by the eccentrics D D on the engine-shaft. Air to drive the air-engine is received from the reservoir C through a pipe D controlled by a throttle-valve D and leading to the valve chamber D and distributed, as usual. The power thus received from the compressed air is returned to the engine-shaft A through the piston-rod D pitman D, and crank D set at a right angle to the crank C and opposite to the crank A E is a pipe leading from the air-reservoir (l to the diaphragm-valve B which may be a valve held normally open by a spring and closed in opposition thereto by pressure received below a diaphragm, as will be understood. I

E is a spring-valve analogous to an ordinary pop safety-valve, holding the pipe E closed, but set to lift and open the passage when the pressure in the reservoir reaches the limit for which the valve is loaded and allow the pressure to be felt by the diaphragm-valve and immediately close the latter and prevent further supply from the carbureter to the ex plosive-engine until the pressure in the reservoir is sufficiently reduced, by the demands of the air-engine or otherwise, to allow the valve E to close and the valve B automatically to open again. Thus it will be seen that the action of the explosive-engine is intermittent when running. The sparking or other igniting device may run continuously, but the explosive mixture is withheld during the intervals in which pressure accumulates in the reservoir for use when required, thus conserving the energy and allowing the flywheel A to be greatly lessened in weight or entirely omitted, the motion and power being maintained by the action of the air-engine.

To aid in starting the motor or for temporarily adding to the power in maintaining speed for short periods under increased load,

I equip the compressor with suitable valves and passages, normally idle, permitting its conversion into an auxiliary air-engine driven by the air-pressure in the reservoir.

Air under pressure is admitted to the cylinder D of the air-engine through the pipe D, leading from a low point in the reservoir (3 to the valve-chamber D and after performing its work in the cylinder D is exhausted through the pipes G G and G to the jacket or annular chamber. A, surrounding the cylinder A, and serves by its extremely low temperature to absorb the heat from the latter. The hot products of combustion from the cylinder A are exhausted through the pipe A and allowed to escape against the valve-chamber D and cylinder D, and thus serve in raising the temperature of these parts.

' When the compressor is to be used as an auxiliary engine, air under pressure is introduced as follows: C is a valve-chamber containing a double-piston valve (not shown) similar to the valve for the air-engine, and L is a pipe leading from a low point in the reservoir G or the pipe D therefrom, to a twoway valve H in the pipe C", and thence to the valve-chamber O", and is distributed as usual. The two-way valve H is adapted when in one position to close the pipe L, while allowing free passage for the air delivered by the compressin operation, and when in the other position (see Fig. 4) to close the pipe 0 and open communication through the pipe L between the reservoir and valve-chamber C Thus conditioned the compressor serves as an air-engine and is controlled bya link-motion J and eccentrics J J, corresponding to the same parts for the aireengine D. The exhaust escapes through the pipes K K and K to the pipe G, leading from the valve-chamber of the engine D, and delivering through G to the jacket A.

G is a valve in the pipe K kept normally closed but to be opened when the compressor is to be used as above.

The operation of the motor is as follows: Air-pressure in the reservoir 0 is raised, in the first instance, by the hand-pump F or by other independent means and is admitted to the cylinder D of the air-engine by turning the throttle-valve D If the load be light, the shaft A will turn over; but if for any reasonit refuses thevalve G is opened and the two-way valve I-I turned to admit compressed air to the compressor, now acting as an auxiliary air-engine, and the shaft A is caused to rotate. The ignition device for the explosiveengine being set in operation, the latter is immediately started and exerts its force to continue the rotation. 'The two-way valve 11 is then turned to shut off the air from the compressor and allow it to performits compressing function, and the exhaust-valve G is also closed to shut off the exhaust-passage. The explosive-engine continues to run eifectively until the pressure in the reservoir rises suiiiciently to lift the loaded valve E and through the diaphragmwalve B automatically cut off the supply from the carbureter, as before described. The motor will now run under the airen gine alone until the pressure again falls and the explosive-engine resumes its work. If for any reason it is desired to increase the power for a short period, the compressor may be converted into an auxiliary air-engine, and thus run until the pressure is insufficient.

M is a safety-valve on the reservoir, ada pted to lift at a pressure above that at which the valve E is set and serves to guard against accident.

I prefer to make the cylinders plosive-cylinder A also may be a part of the same casting, if preferred, or be set nearer the others than here shown, or it may be otherwise arranged in respect thereto.

The improved motor is intended more especially for service in motorvehicles and similar situations in which it is inconvenient or impracticable to supply water or other cooling agent in sufficient quantities to keep the temperature of the-eXplosive-engine at the required low point.

An important advantage attained is the ease with which the motor may be started. So long as there is sufficient pressure in the reservoir the few turns required to condition the explosive-engine for service may be readily made.

By storing the surplus energy of the explosive-engine in the form of compressed air capable of being returned as power I am able to lighten the construction, notably in the heavy fiy-wheel usually required, which in my improved motor may be much reduced in weight and in some cases entirely omitted, and in the reduced weight of the frame, which, as the shock of the explosions is virtually received on an air-cushion, is subjected to less violent strains and need not be as substantial as usual in motors of this class. l

The explosive-engine having a reserve of power may also be made smaller for work on motor-vehicles and analogous duties, as most power is used in starting and in climbing grades, in which the air-engines maybe called upon to assist the explosive-engine.

When used in a motor-vehicle, the energy usually wasted in running idly down grades may with my improved motor be saved and stored in the form of compressed air to be again used. The motor thus conditioned acts as a brake in controlling the speed of the vehicle.

The link-motions D J indicated may be the ordinary Stephenson link valve-gear, and, as will be readily understood, the reversing thereby of the airengine and the compressor when serving as an auxiliary air-engine 11ccessarily reverses the explosive-engine also.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions within wide limits and in the arrangement and location of the parts without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing its advantages.

It will be understood that the explosiveengine is provided with a sparking or other O and D and their valve-chambers O and D in a single igniting device, and generally all the required equipments, omitted or not specifically described, are of any ordinary or approved construction.

The exhaust from the explosive-engine may be led elsewhere than here shown, especially if the arrangement of the neighboring cylinders be such as to absorb suiiicient heat from the compressor and explosive-engine by conduction and radiation.

The reservoir should be so placed as to be exposed as much as possible to the cooling efiect of air-currents, so as to reduce the temperature of the compressed air as low as may be.

Although I have described the invention as applied to a gasolene-engine and have described the fluid compressed in the reservoir as atmospheric air, it will be understood that any internal-explosion engine may take the place of the gasolene-engine and the fluid to be compressed and reexpanded may be any elastic fluid-as, for instance, ammonia-gas or carbon dioxid.

I claim 1. In a motor, the combination of an explosive-engine, an air-compressor driven thereby and having normally idle valves and passagesenabling said compressor to run as an engine, an. air-reservoir receiving air from said compressor, an air-engine aiding said explosive-engine and driven by compressed air from said reservoir, all connected directly to the same crank-shaft and a two-way valve and its connections to said reservoir, sub stantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a motor, the combination of an explosive-engine, an air-compressor driven thereby and having normally idle valves and passages enabling said compressorto run as an engine, an air-reservoir receiving air from said compressor, an air-engine aiding said explosiveengine and driven by compressed air from said reservoir, all connected directly to the same crank-shaft and a two-way valve and its connections to said reservoir, and means for delivering the cold air from both of said air-engines to said explosive-engine to absorb heat from the latter.

3. The combination of an explosive-engine, an air-compressor, and an air-reservoir, a supply-pipe for said explosive-engine, a selfopening valve B controlling said supply-pipe and having a valve-operating diaphragm, a pipe E leading from said air-reservoir to the upper face of said diaphragm, and a loaded valve E controlling said pipe E, whereby pressure in said reservoirwlien sufficient to lift said loaded valve will by such action be communicated to said self-opening valve and arrest the flow through said supply-pipe.

4. I11 a motor, the combination of an explosive-engine, an air-engine, an air-compressor having normally inert valves and passages directly connected to the same crank-shaft,

said normally inert valves and passagesenabling the compressor to run as an auxiliary engine,a compressed-air reservoir and connections therefrom to said air-engines, means for discontinuing the operation of said explosiveengine, and for reversing said air-engines, whereby the said shaft may be turned temporarily in the reverse direction by the airengines alone.

5. In a motor, the combination of an explosive-engine, an air-engine, an air-compressor having normally inert valves and passages directly connected to the same crank-shaft, said normally inert valves and passages enabling said compressor to run as an engine, a compressed-air reservoir and connections therefrom to said air-engines, means for discontinuing the operation of said explosiveengine, and means for reversing said air-engines, whereby the said shaft may be turned temporarily in the reverse direction by the air-engines alone, and pipes G, G and G from the exhaust side of said air-engines to the plosive-engine and the rate of speed of said crank-shaft thus controlled.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in pres ence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. OSBORNE \Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, RoBT. CONNOR. 

